WO2014011632A3 - Nuclear fuel core, nuclear fuel cartridge, and methods of fueling and/or defueling a nuclear reactor - Google Patents

Nuclear fuel core, nuclear fuel cartridge, and methods of fueling and/or defueling a nuclear reactor Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2014011632A3
WO2014011632A3 PCT/US2013/049722 US2013049722W WO2014011632A3 WO 2014011632 A3 WO2014011632 A3 WO 2014011632A3 US 2013049722 W US2013049722 W US 2013049722W WO 2014011632 A3 WO2014011632 A3 WO 2014011632A3
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
nuclear fuel
nuclear
defueling
fueling
methods
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2013/049722
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
WO2014011632A2 (en
Inventor
Krishna P. Singh
P. Stefan Anton
Peter STEFANOVIC
Original Assignee
Holtec International, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Holtec International, Inc. filed Critical Holtec International, Inc.
Priority to US14/413,807 priority Critical patent/US9865363B2/en
Publication of WO2014011632A2 publication Critical patent/WO2014011632A2/en
Publication of WO2014011632A3 publication Critical patent/WO2014011632A3/en
Priority to US17/081,753 priority patent/US11935663B2/en

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C3/00—Reactor fuel elements and their assemblies; Selection of substances for use as reactor fuel elements
    • G21C3/30—Assemblies of a number of fuel elements in the form of a rigid unit
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C1/00—Reactor types
    • G21C1/04—Thermal reactors ; Epithermal reactors
    • G21C1/06—Heterogeneous reactors, i.e. in which fuel and moderator are separated
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C11/00—Shielding structurally associated with the reactor
    • G21C11/06—Reflecting shields, i.e. for minimising loss of neutrons
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C19/00—Arrangements for treating, for handling, or for facilitating the handling of, fuel or other materials which are used within the reactor, e.g. within its pressure vessel
    • G21C19/18—Apparatus for bringing fuel elements to the reactor charge area, e.g. from a storage place
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C19/00—Arrangements for treating, for handling, or for facilitating the handling of, fuel or other materials which are used within the reactor, e.g. within its pressure vessel
    • G21C19/32—Apparatus for removing radioactive objects or materials from the reactor discharge area, e.g. to a storage place; Apparatus for handling radioactive objects or materials within a storage place or removing them therefrom
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C3/00—Reactor fuel elements and their assemblies; Selection of substances for use as reactor fuel elements
    • G21C3/30—Assemblies of a number of fuel elements in the form of a rigid unit
    • G21C3/32—Bundles of parallel pin-, rod-, or tube-shaped fuel elements
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C5/00—Moderator or core structure; Selection of materials for use as moderator
    • G21C5/02—Details
    • G21C5/06—Means for locating or supporting fuel elements
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C5/00—Moderator or core structure; Selection of materials for use as moderator
    • G21C5/14—Moderator or core structure; Selection of materials for use as moderator characterised by shape
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21F—PROTECTION AGAINST X-RADIATION, GAMMA RADIATION, CORPUSCULAR RADIATION OR PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT; TREATING RADIOACTIVELY CONTAMINATED MATERIAL; DECONTAMINATION ARRANGEMENTS THEREFOR
    • G21F5/00—Transportable or portable shielded containers
    • G21F5/005—Containers for solid radioactive wastes, e.g. for ultimate disposal
    • G21F5/008—Containers for fuel elements
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21F—PROTECTION AGAINST X-RADIATION, GAMMA RADIATION, CORPUSCULAR RADIATION OR PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT; TREATING RADIOACTIVELY CONTAMINATED MATERIAL; DECONTAMINATION ARRANGEMENTS THEREFOR
    • G21F5/00—Transportable or portable shielded containers
    • G21F5/06—Details of, or accessories to, the containers
    • G21F5/12—Closures for containers; Sealing arrangements
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C19/00—Arrangements for treating, for handling, or for facilitating the handling of, fuel or other materials which are used within the reactor, e.g. within its pressure vessel
    • G21C19/02—Details of handling arrangements
    • G21C19/06—Magazines for holding fuel elements or control elements
    • G21C19/07—Storage racks; Storage pools
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E30/00—Energy generation of nuclear origin
    • Y02E30/30—Nuclear fission reactors
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T29/00—Metal working
    • Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
    • Y10T29/49826—Assembling or joining
    • Y10T29/49947—Assembling or joining by applying separate fastener

Abstract

A portable nuclear fuel cartridge comprising a unitary support structure and a plurality of nuclear fuel assemblies that collectively form a nuclear fuel core. The nuclear fuel core is integrated into the unitary support structure to collectively form a self-supporting assemblage than can be lifted as a single unit. In another aspect, the invention is a method of fueling and/or defueling a nuclear reactor utilizing a nuclear fuel cartridge that is loaded and/or unloaded from the nuclear reactor as a single unit.
PCT/US2013/049722 2012-05-21 2013-07-09 Nuclear fuel core, nuclear fuel cartridge, and methods of fueling and/or defueling a nuclear reactor WO2014011632A2 (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US14/413,807 US9865363B2 (en) 2012-07-09 2013-07-09 Nuclear fuel core, nuclear fuel cartridge, and methods of fueling and/or defueling a nuclear reactor
US17/081,753 US11935663B2 (en) 2012-05-21 2020-10-27 Control rod drive system for nuclear reactor

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US201261669428P 2012-07-09 2012-07-09
US61/669,428 2012-07-09

Related Parent Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US16/744,144 Continuation-In-Part US11094421B2 (en) 2012-05-21 2020-01-15 Fail-safe control rod drive system for nuclear reactor

Related Child Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US14/413,807 A-371-Of-International US9865363B2 (en) 2012-07-09 2013-07-09 Nuclear fuel core, nuclear fuel cartridge, and methods of fueling and/or defueling a nuclear reactor
US15/822,704 Continuation US10923239B2 (en) 2012-05-21 2017-11-27 Moving an entire nuclear reactor core as a unitary structure

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2014011632A2 WO2014011632A2 (en) 2014-01-16
WO2014011632A3 true WO2014011632A3 (en) 2014-04-17

Family

ID=49916665

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US2013/049722 WO2014011632A2 (en) 2012-05-21 2013-07-09 Nuclear fuel core, nuclear fuel cartridge, and methods of fueling and/or defueling a nuclear reactor

Country Status (2)

Country Link
US (1) US9865363B2 (en)
WO (1) WO2014011632A2 (en)

Families Citing this family (19)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11935663B2 (en) 2012-05-21 2024-03-19 Smr Inventec, Llc Control rod drive system for nuclear reactor
KR101389840B1 (en) * 2012-08-29 2014-04-29 한국과학기술원 Inherent safety water cooled reactor system for producing electricity
GB2528631A (en) * 2014-04-29 2016-02-03 Ian Richard Scott Improved refuelling and neutron management in molten salt reactors
US11276503B2 (en) 2014-12-29 2022-03-15 Terrapower, Llc Anti-proliferation safeguards for nuclear fuel salts
US10438705B2 (en) 2014-12-29 2019-10-08 Terrapower, Llc Fission reaction control in a molten salt reactor
CA2982818A1 (en) * 2015-04-09 2016-10-13 Claudio Filippone Transportable sub-critical modules for power generation and related methods
US10867710B2 (en) 2015-09-30 2020-12-15 Terrapower, Llc Molten fuel nuclear reactor with neutron reflecting coolant
WO2017192463A2 (en) 2016-05-02 2017-11-09 Terrapower, Llc Improved molten fuel reactor thermal management configurations
EP3485496B1 (en) 2016-07-15 2020-04-15 TerraPower, LLC Vertically-segmented nuclear reactor
EP3922605A1 (en) 2016-08-10 2021-12-15 TerraPower LLC Electro-synthesis of uranium chloride fuel salts
US10923238B2 (en) 2016-11-15 2021-02-16 Terrapower, Llc Direct reactor auxiliary cooling system for a molten salt nuclear reactor
US10614925B2 (en) * 2016-12-13 2020-04-07 Nac International Inc. Modular portable cask transfer facility
TWI795484B (en) * 2017-12-20 2023-03-11 美商Ｔｎ美國有限責任公司 Modular basket assembly for fuel assemblies
CA3088265A1 (en) 2018-01-31 2019-08-08 Terrapower, Llc Direct heat exchanger for molten chloride fast reactor
CA3092142A1 (en) 2018-03-12 2019-11-28 Terrapower, Llc Reflectors for molten chloride fast reactors
CN109545411A (en) * 2018-11-20 2019-03-29 中国科学院合肥物质科学研究院 A kind of reactor core of nuclear reactor
CN109585039B (en) * 2018-12-03 2022-08-19 中国科学院合肥物质科学研究院 Modular reactor core structure for small lead-based reactor and assembling method thereof
WO2021133797A1 (en) 2019-12-23 2021-07-01 Terrapower, Llc Molten fuel reactors and orifice ring plates for molten fuel reactors
US11728052B2 (en) 2020-08-17 2023-08-15 Terra Power, Llc Fast spectrum molten chloride test reactors

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4695425A (en) * 1983-10-04 1987-09-22 Hitachi, Ltd. Fuel assembly
US4702881A (en) * 1985-04-02 1987-10-27 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Nuclear reactor spacer grid
US4731220A (en) * 1985-08-14 1988-03-15 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Neutron reflector
US4849162A (en) * 1984-11-13 1989-07-18 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Modular radial neutron reflector
US4941159A (en) * 1988-10-14 1990-07-10 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Low neutron fluence nuclear reactor internals
US5075075A (en) * 1990-01-16 1991-12-24 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Nuclear reactor core having nuclear fuel and composite burnable absorber arranged for power peaking and moderator temperature coefficient control
US5176877A (en) * 1989-09-22 1993-01-05 Hitachi, Ltd. Nuclear fuel assembly and nuclear reactor core containing said assembly
US5359634A (en) * 1992-09-30 1994-10-25 Abb Atom Ab Reactor core for a boiling water nuclear reactor

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US3640844A (en) * 1969-11-07 1972-02-08 Atomic Energy Commission Power-flattened seed-blanket reactor core
GB0000241D0 (en) * 2000-01-07 2000-03-01 British Nuclear Fuels Plc Improvements in and relating to nuclear fuel assemblies

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4695425A (en) * 1983-10-04 1987-09-22 Hitachi, Ltd. Fuel assembly
US4849162A (en) * 1984-11-13 1989-07-18 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Modular radial neutron reflector
US4702881A (en) * 1985-04-02 1987-10-27 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Nuclear reactor spacer grid
US4731220A (en) * 1985-08-14 1988-03-15 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Neutron reflector
US4941159A (en) * 1988-10-14 1990-07-10 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Low neutron fluence nuclear reactor internals
US5176877A (en) * 1989-09-22 1993-01-05 Hitachi, Ltd. Nuclear fuel assembly and nuclear reactor core containing said assembly
US5075075A (en) * 1990-01-16 1991-12-24 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Nuclear reactor core having nuclear fuel and composite burnable absorber arranged for power peaking and moderator temperature coefficient control
US5359634A (en) * 1992-09-30 1994-10-25 Abb Atom Ab Reactor core for a boiling water nuclear reactor

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2014011632A2 (en) 2014-01-16
US9865363B2 (en) 2018-01-09
US20150170766A1 (en) 2015-06-18

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